Philippians 3:4b-14

4even though I, too, have reason for confidence in the flesh.

If anyone else has reason to be confident in the flesh, I have more: 5circumcised on the eighth day, a member of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew born of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; 6as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless.

7Yet whatever gains I had, these I have come to regard as loss because of Christ. 8More than that, I regard everything as loss because of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things, and I regard them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ 9and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but one that comes through faith in Christ,3.9 Or through the faith of Christ the righteousness from God based on faith. 10I want to know Christ3.10 Gk him and the power of his resurrection and the sharing of his sufferings by becoming like him in his death, 11if somehow I may attain the resurrection from the dead.

Pressing towards the Goal

12Not that I have already obtained this or have already reached the goal;3.12 Or have already been made perfect but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. 13Beloved,3.13 Gk Brothers I do not consider that I have made it my own;3.13 Other ancient authorities read my own yet but this one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, 14I press on towards the goal for the prize of the heavenly3.14 Gk upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

John 12:1-8

1Six days before the Passover Jesus came to Bethany, the home of Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. 2There they gave a dinner for him. Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those at the table with him. 3Mary took a pound of costly perfume made of pure nard, anointed Jesus' feet, and wiped them12.3 Gk his feet with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. 4But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (the one who was about to betray him), said, 5‘Why was this perfume not sold for three hundred denarii12.5 Three hundred denarii would be nearly a year's wages for a labourer and the money given to the poor?’ 6(He said this not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief; he kept the common purse and used to steal what was put into it.) 7Jesus said, ‘Leave her alone. She bought it12.7 Gk lacks She bought it so that she might keep it for the day of my burial. 8You always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me.’

The Plot to Kill Lazarus